Post subject: 'Bloodbath' at church in Germany - Tamil man Kills a woman

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:35 pm

'Bloodbath' at church in Germany

@ BBC / 03APR2005

A man wielding a sword has killed a woman and injured at least three other people during a service at a church in southern Germany.
Police said they found "grisly" scenes, including severed limbs, at the scene of the attack in Stuttgart.

A 25-year-old suspect was overpowered by officers and arrested.

He is an ethnic Tamil, as were most of the congregation. Police say the attack was not politically motivated and was probably prompted by personal problems.

The man stormed into the church just before 1600 (1400 GMT) waving a sword before going on the rampage, according to eyewitnesses.

He killed a 43-year-old woman and seriously injured three other people, including one whose hand was hacked off, police said.

Police described the scene as a "bloodbath".

About 65 people - half of them children - are believed to have been in the church at the time.

Counselling has been offered to those who witnessed the attack.

Tamils are a predominantly Hindu minority in Sri Lanka and southern India.